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Sunday After Ascension

Laudetur Iesus Christus! Today is the Sunday after Ascension, and the 4th day within the octave of the Ascension (sadly, suppressed after 1955). We include Dr. Mike Foley’s commentary on today’s propers: http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2021/05/the-contextual-orations-of-sunday-after.html

Below is a schedule of upcoming Masses and events:

St. Ann Respect Life Latin Mass – Saturday May 22 at 8am: St. Ann parish will host its 4th Saturday Respect Life Latin Mass at 8am, followed by prayers at Planned Parenthood (or a Holy Hour in the church).

Next Juventutem Event – Saturday May 22nd: Juventutem, the young adults group (18-35, married or single) centered around the Traditional Latin Mass will hold its next event on Saturday May 22nd at 8am it will be the attending the 4th Saturday Respect Life Latin Mass (8am) at St. Ann followed by prayers at Planned Parenthood.

Feast of the Sacred Heart – Friday June 11, 7pm (St. Ann parish): St. Ann parish will offer its annual orchestral Latin Mass for this sublime feast day (Friday June 11 at 7pm).

Feasts of Ss. Peter and Paul – Tuesday June 29, 7pm (Cathedral of St. Patrick):  We are pleased to announce the Cathedral will offer its annual Traditional Latin Mass on the great feast of Ss. Peter & Paul on Tuesday June 29 at 7pm. It will be with the Carolina Catholic Chorale and feature  Missa Brevis in E minor by Carl Heinrich Biber.

St. Peter of Verona Palms now at St. Thomas Aquinas parish: If you attend the 11:30am Sunday Latin Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas and have not received a St. Peter of Verona Blessed Palm kit yet (or in prior years), please stop by the Latin Mass info table there today, while quantities last. These palms when buried on your property can, according to Church tradition, protect against natural disasters.

Traditional Days of Fasting During Ascensiontide & Pentecost

As many of our readers know, in the Traditional Latin Mass of 1962, there are several additional days of fasting and penance throughout the year (now just optional). Typically the day before a major feast day (Assumption, Pentecost, Ascension, Nativity) was a vigil day and a day of fasting and partial abstinence, with meat only permitted once per day. Additionally, as our readers may recall, the Ember Days, the 3 penitential days at the beginning of each season that offer thanksgiving and prayers for holiness, were the other periods of penance outside of Lent or Advent.  For the remainder of this month, we have several of these optional days occurring. Though the below fasting/partial abstinence days are now voluntary, with all the sin occurring in the world (and in the Church), it may be worth participating in the traditional fasts if you have not done so before.

  • Vigil of Pentecost – Saturday May 22 (fasting, partial abstinence)
  • Whit Ember Wednesday – Wednesday May 26 (fasting, partial abstinence)
  • Whit Ember Friday – Friday May 28 (fasting and since its Friday, complete abstinence from meat)
  • Whit Ember Saturday – Saturday May 29 (fasting, partial abstinence)

The “Whit Ember” days are named after Whit Sunday (“white”), which was an ancient name for Pentecost Sunday. Hence the Pentecost Ember Days. To learn more about the Whit Ember days visit: https://www.fisheaters.com/customseastertide8.html

Latin Mass & Traditional News

  • Abp. Viganò: Catholic Clergy Should Humbly “Recognize the Deception” of Vatican II and Embrace Tradition: Suggested by a CLMC reader, Archbishop Viganò examines the current state of liturgical affairs in the Church, and says only the Traditional Latin Mass is the “perfect voice” of the Church. The archbishop looks forward to the full restoration of the One Catholic Rite (The Traditional Latin Mass) and the abolition of the “imperfect voice” of the post conciliar version of the Mass. CLMC note: Each Sunday, we see this taking shape as new families make the choice to attend the Traditional Latin Mass:  
    https://catholicfamilynews.com/blog/2021/05/07/abp-vigano-catholic-clergy-should-humbly-recognize-the-deception-of-vatican-ii-and-embrace-tradition/
  • Tyranny and sexual abuse in the Catholic Church: A Jesuit tragedy: During COVID, we often read or heard clergy saying they had to “follow orders” or be “obedient” to a bishop or governor on strange protocols that were clearly outside the scope and authority of state or even Church. How could this even happen? Though there is legitimate authority and obedience in the Church (and state), it does have limits and as John Lamont explains in this 2018 piece, a type of erroneous hyper-obedience developed in the Jesuit order in the 1500s, and crept its way into the rest of the Church. It was seen much during the sexual abuse crisis (and reared its head again during COVID). While one may want to put COVID crisis behind, unless “hyper-obedience” is corrected to the traditional Church teaching on obedience, this will likely occur again in some form or fashion:
    https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2018/10/tyranny-and-sexual-abuse-in-catholic.html

May 15, 2021: 130th Anniversary of the Landmark Encyclical Rerum Novarum

“Laws only bind when they are in accordance with right reason, and, hence, with the eternal law of God.” – Pope Leo XIII, May 15, 1891

Lastly, speaking of obeying laws in accord with right reason, the preceding quote is an appropriate way to commemorate yesterday’s 130th anniversary of the landmark encyclical Rerum Novarum, written by Pope Leo XIII on May 15, 1891. Rerum Novarum represents just the tip of traditional Catholic social doctrine, which is an important component in restoring Christendom (the other component is restoring the Traditional Latin Mass as Archbishop Viganò states above).

Often times, the modernists try to promote a false social doctrine called Catholic “social justice”, which is often just a mix of Marxism, leftists politics and volunteerism. True justice in society comes from applying the traditional and perennial Church social teachings, that were especially summarized and pronounced by Popes Leo XIII and Pope Pius XI. Two books that contain their writings are:

Rorate Caeli has an excellent summary of Rerum Novarum’s points in light of the lockdowns, etc.: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2021/05/130th-anniversary-of-rerum-novarum-laws.html

We will just quote two lines of the encyclical and ask two questions below:

Socialists, therefore, by endeavoring to transfer the possessions of individuals to the community at large, strike at the interests of every wage-earner, since they would deprive him of the liberty of disposing of his wages, and thereby of all hope and possibility of increasing his resources and of bettering his condition in life.

Man precedes the State, and possesses, prior to the formation of any State, the right of providing for the substance of his body.

CLMC note: What could have happened (or been averted) over the past year if Church leaders had access to the traditional Catholic social teachings and properly denounced the COVID lockdowns? What is still possible if bishops and priests learn the traditional teachings and apply it to the socialists’ next move – especially with “vaccine passports” looming on the horizon?

The authentic Catholic social teachings are a gift to the faithful in times like these.